text:
Microsoft Exchange provides a rich feature set to host emails for businesses, which has made it the de facto standard among enterprises and small/midsize manufacturers alike. But not all manufacturers can afford to set up and maintain their own Exchange Server. That's why increasing numbers of manufacturing operations are making the switch to Exchange Server hosting. A dedicated, remotely hosted Exchange Server enables companies to save money on the cost of ownership and administration. And it comes with a significant dividend: the ability to redeploy IT staff for other projects and initiatives.
Outsourcing messaging needs to a virtual Exchange Server can also provide manufacturers with additional services. Hosted Exchange services typically include security, antivirus and anti-spam. Companies can usually add even more functionality, as needed: email archiving, mobile device support, migration assistance, and more.
For those manufacturers still on the fence about outsourcing their messaging needs to dedicated Exchange Server hosting, the advantages of Exchange Server 2013 make the case even more compelling. Using the advanced features of Exchange 2013 requires hardware and training that aren't financially feasible for most manufacturing operations, making dedicated Exchange server hosting an even more attractive option.
Exchange 2013 is, hands down, a more robust offering than its predecessor, delivering:
- Better availability — Exchange 2013 offers higher availability and is more fault tolerant than previous versions.
- Greater transparency — Servers are now self-monitoring and work in teams to ensure high availability. When a server detects a problem that could affect the user experience, it transparently switches users to another database.
- Increased speed — Exchange 2013 provides users with significantly faster speed than Exchange 2010.
- Windows 8 interface —Microsoft's Windows 8 interface simplifies navigation on mobile devices.
- Improved support for mobility —Outlook Web App has been modified for mobility and will adapt to the user's screen, whether it's an iPad, iPhone, another tablet, PC or laptop.
While there are good reasons to consider moving to Exchange Server hosting, it's important to select a provider with care. Because most manufacturers rely on email as a lifeline, a strategic means of communication, due diligence is a must when selecting a cloud service provider (CSP) for Exchange Server hosting.
First, manufacturers must make sure that the CSP provides the latest version of Exchange. Then, the CSP must be able to offer the most secure infrastructure available, provide high availability and uptime written into the service level agreement, and adhere to the industry's strictest regulations for security and compliance. The CSP should provide Outlook Web Access (OWA), which works on all major web browsers and provides users with the ability to access their email online from anywhere.
The CSP should also offer support for both Outlook (for PC) and Entourage (for Mac) and most common mobile devices. This is an especially important consideration for companies that embrace the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend. If employees are accessing the Exchange Server from their Macs, iPads and iPhones, the CSP must offer Mac support — even if the company has a PC-based infrastructure. And, without exception, the CSP must provide dedicated support 24/7/365.
Exchange Server hosting not only facilitates improved email services — it also delivers peace of mind.
Adam Stern is founder and CEO of Infinitely Virtual, which offers cloud-based InfiniteERP. Twitter- @iv_cloudhosting

subset: commoncrawl


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The "cat-pissed-to-death pizza box computer"
This s--- sucks!
This s--- hotcrammed f------ sucks! Why did I have to get a cold within less than a week of getting my beloved Arnval that I've waited so long for?!
.....And as if it wasn't bad enough, I had a bad dream during what little time I managed to sleep.....I'm not going to talk about the nightmare, but suffice to say that if it were real, I'd have had to have shoved a pizza up somebody's arse, and butchered a totoro alive.....
All these priests coming up with bizarre things to do now that their Goddess is kaput. >.>;;a
WTH? CBox turned into a giant version of yuan's avater, and then my post double dep posted.
Double DERP posted.
Y'Know something I've been thinkin g about, I saw a UPS truck going sideways all over the place the other day, you'd think that more Michigan drivers would have the know-how and willingness to drive appropriately for the winter weather, but quite a lot don't.
In ace combat series games, I can fly a jet drunk a lot better than some people around here drive.
I landed an F-22 one-handed half-way drunk, was holding a beer in the other hand.
Oh and in case anyone is wondering, no, if given the chance to fly a real jet in real life, I would not fly drunk.
me - (|) A** (_|_) fata** (E=|Mc2) smarta**
me - And yes, I'm really really bored.
P2 - Get a pig, then you can boared?
P2 - can be boared, rather.
me - So bored I forgot I was waiting for superglue on my hands to dry.
P2 - Turn yourself into some lumber and be board.
P3 - I have a drill. You can be properly bored
me - Before that, I was wondering why I'm sitting here watching CBox like a hawk, till I remembered I need to superglue the cracked, dry skin on my hands.
me - I have a COLLECTION of drilling implements!
P1 - talking blacksmith polar bears **** yeah
me - I think I wish there had been some of those here today to help shovel snow.
IDK what that is, but I'm guessing it's a bank account for grapefruits.
P1 - man I have a stupidly orange box coming my way
me - "We are the BORANGE. You will be juiced. We will add your unique flavor to our own. Resistence is futile."
Nagas in wood chippers?
My Metalbeard needs more sausages. He did come with an extra bone though, so yay.
*flips over, flops onto teh jess, emits cloud of zs*
P1 - At least I know one of Zress Moe is a Lolicon with torpedo boobs
P1 - My bad, a loli*
me - ERROR: *Insert witty "loligagging" comment here*
I had a weird dream a few nights ago, or at least one part of it was really weird.
I dreamed that Hitler was in our kitchen cooking zombie heads. WTH would he want to cook zombie heads for? I don't think they would taste good. What made it much stranger was that the heads were on a runner/sprue, just like injection molded plastic parts, and had to be cut out of the runner before use. HTH does that work?
andthen you have a bunch of heads on sticks
which you just happen to have been using to prime tank parts
Dunno, but Vorpal bunnies immune to everything except Holy Hand Grenade
It just doesn't feel like a train to me. It feels like a semi truck cosplaying as a train.
P1 - And there, tattooed just above the panty-line, "Abandon all hope, Ye who enter here."
P2 - At least it isnt 'Welcome, Wipe your feet'


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Let's say you're a TV mogul, and Universal Pictures hands you $65 million dollars to make your first big-screen comedy. Would you squander the creative opportunity by recycling your TV material and spackling on R-rated jokes? Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) would, and did, with Ted.
Those who love Family Guy may well love Ted even more, but it's a lazy comedy—stupid, aimless, and seldom funny, its good gags drowned in a sea of duds. As explained by dulcet-toned narrator Patrick Stewart, a magically granted "Christmas wish" imbues the teddy bear of eight-year-old John Bennett with consciousness. The bear, Ted, becomes a flash-in-the-pan celebrity doing Carson one day and forgotten the next, but twenty-seven years later, John (Mark Wahlberg) remains joined at the hip to his fuzzy best friend (voiced by MacFarlane).
This presents a problem in John's four-year-old relationship with Lori (Mila Kunis), who wants John to put away childish things and begin acting like a responsible adult. John makes some effort to earn a promotion at the rent-a-car outfit where he works, but the Bostonian's heart belongs on the couch, with Ted and a bong. Despite MacFarlane's "boys will be boys" attitude, it's difficult to sympathize with these selfish males, particularly the overtly racist Ted.
John's halfhearted commitment to Lori means Ted has to move out and get a job, prompting an amusing running gag about how he can't get fired, no matter how hard he tries. But Ted continues to exert pull on John and push Lori to her breaking point. Then there's the Misery-esque subplot, in which Ted becomes threatened by a celebrity stalker (Giovanni Ribisi) and his son (Aedin Mincks, the butt of fat jokes).
MacFarlane's latest talking "animal" essentially puts the voice of Family Guy's obnoxious Peter Griffin into the body of his dog Brian (in a lame attempt to defuse criticism, MacFarlane makes a joke of the obvious similiarity). And MacFarlane's sense of humor hasn't evolved: like Han Solo in carbonite (see what I did there?), MacFarlane is trapped in his own pop-culture nostalgia, and the endless celebrity-themed jokes and movie parodies betray him as more of a comedy parasite than a comedy auteur.
Take, for instance, the scene that unironically parodies not Saturday Night Fever, but Airplane! parodying Saturday Night Fever. Why? No reason.
MacFarlane either takes cheap shots at celebrities or gets them to play along in cameos (Norah Jones being one; a young movie star, in a wordless appearance, another). It's almost worth the price of admission to see Wahlberg happily clinging to the waist of Sam "Flash Gordon" Jones, but otherwise MacFarlane enrolls in the school of profane shock comedy that's gleefully profane but too rarely clever. If you yearn to be treated like an eight-year-old, this R-rated kids movie for adults—the very opposite of Judd Apatow's wave of "time to grow up" comedies— is all yours.
[This review first appeared in Palo Alto Weekly.]


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Baja Ferries
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Smooth sailing with the FerryGoGo ferry guides to your dream destinations. Discover the perfect ferry routes with our interactive maps and essential travel insights.
We have simplified the information about different routes and choices for ferries and connections in the world. This way you can book your ferry crossing for your next holiday with ease.


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For those of you who aren't familiar with this summer ritual, it's something I started doing a couple of years ago for writers like me who don't attend RWA National. We spend a week sitting around in our pjs and bunny slippers while we talk shop, I give away goodie bags, and we have fun. Fun that does not require us to eat mystery chicken, wear name tags, dodge buzzkillers or squeeze into an occasionally-working elevator with Suzanne Brockmann and thirty of her most devoted stalkers.
Last year I
Now it's your turn -- what sort of workshops would you like to have at LB&LI this year? Any particular topics, techniques, trouble-shooting, etc. that would be of interest to you? Let us know in comments.


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This article is more than 5 years old.
On June 7th and 8th, I attended the annual conference of the Baptist History and Heritage Society, which was held in Raleigh this year. The BHHS " a 73-year old non-profit, professional organization with members worldwide, bridges the worlds of the academy and the congregation, communicating the story of Baptists through print and digital media publications, conferences and seminars". I was familiar with this group because many of the books they publish are wonderful resources that we add to the NC Baptist Collection, and we receive their journal Baptist History and Heritage, which is also part of the NC Baptist Collection. But I had not been to a conference before…
This year, the stars aligned just right to make this a great time for me to attend. The conference was in Raleigh, hosted at First Baptist Church Raleigh, and it would be a perfect opportunity for me to share information about our Biblical Recorder Digitization Project. I hoped that it would be possible for me to have a poster on display along with some take-along cards that have the website for the BR project as well as the Special Collections email address, phone and website. I contacted the Executive Director of the society and asked him about my idea. He said that would be fine, but he also wanted to find some time for me to present the information to the attendees. Even though most of the program was already scheduled, they found a slot for me to speak briefly on Thursday night. I told about how the digitization project came about through an IMLS grant, and about the processes we went through to finally wind up with the finished product. My presentation tied in nicely as the intro for the main speaker that night, Dr. Glenn Jonas of Campbell University. Dr. Jonas has written a book about the history of the First Baptist Church of Raleigh which is celebrating its 200th anniversary and used the Biblical Recorder for a lot of his research. He said he just wished it had been online and searchable earlier! He spoke about his research and how fortunate he was that FBC Raleigh had kept such detailed and organized records. He then told of how FBC Raleigh had been very progressive all along in regards to having black members as well as female deacons all in the 1800's.
( A side note of interest: the name "Charles Lee Smith" appears at the bottom of the stained glass window behind Dr. Jonas. He was a member of FBC Raleigh, and donated his library to Wake Forest College in 1941. His books was the core of what is now the Rare Books collection here at ZSR!)
After the presentations were finished, several people came up to ask me about various aspects of our project. They said that they had heard about it and were very excited to use it! Wake Forest's own Bill Leonard was there, too, and said he was very glad that I was spreading the word about the BR and he had also used it. BHHS director, Bruce Gourley, asked if we have plans to do more digitization of other Baptist materials, and complemented the BR site which he had already used to research for his blog, Baptists and the American Civil War. It was so good to hear such positive feedback, and know that it is such an appreciated resource.
The next day, I attended several sessions and heard paper presentations on interesting topics in Baptist history.
*Deane Langdon told about Alma May Scarborough who wrote church materials for children and was a proponent of teaching children through play rather than lecture. She trained hundreds of teachers across the country and helped to bring about change in the way children's Sunday School classes were taught.
*Steve Lemke from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary presented research on theological perspectives in hymnody, showing how Baptist theology is expressed in hymns and relating how this theology has been tested over the centuries in three major "Worship Wars". The first was in the 16th century and dealt with sacred spaces and how Baptists "did worship". The language of hymns, the tunes, and the use of musical instruments were all points of contention for those who were establishing new patterns of Reformation worship. Worship War II was in the 17th and 18th centuries. During this time, hymns became more personal and evangelical. But some groups of Baptists did not like congregational singing, and this is still a trait of Primitive Baptist churches today. Others didn't like the personal wording and theology of the "new hymns" and this led to a split of many congregations. Worship War III is happening today, with issues such as the use of "praise choruses", the theology that is focused on in traditional versus contemporary hymns and how a congregation can find its most suitable style of worship and hymns based on its theology.
*Jay Smith from Yellowstone Theological Institute ( a new school in Montana) spoke about new ways of "doing and being church" (he quoted Bill Leonard on that). He addressed the fact that there are many ways to be a Baptist theologically and that many pastors and congregations today are trying to embrace a post-modern era.
*Philip Thompson fro Sioux Falls Seminary in South Dakota talked about how Baptist history and identity have been argued about for years, and that Baptist principles can't be separated from Baptist history. He quoted Nathan Hatch as saying "we are in an age of radical anti-elitism" and how this attitude shows up in many congregations across the country.
In addition to hearing informative speakers, I was able to meet other archivists and librarians who work with state Baptist collections in Georgia, Alabama and Texas. It was great to make those connections and compare notes. One even said "we were talking about your Biblical Recorder project the other day, and would like to do something similar to that"! Great to hear that our work has been noticed. I'm glad I had the chance to attend this conference and meet people who maintain similar kinds of collections as well as those who research heavily in our collections and appreciate our materials on a different level than a casual user. I hope to attend again next year!


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Gasoline or petrol is a fuel, derived from petroleum crude oil, for use in spark-ignited internal combustion engines. Conventional gasoline is mostly a blended mixture of more than 200 different hydrocarbon liquids ranging from those containing 4 carbon atoms to those containing 11 or 12 carbon atoms. It has an initial boiling point at atmospheric pressure of about 35 °C (95 °F) and a final boiling point of about 200 °C (395 °F).[1][2][3][4] Gasoline is used primarily as fuel for the internal combustion engines in automotive vehicles as well in some small airplanes.
In Canada and the United States of America, the word "gasoline" is commonly used and it is often shortened to simply "gas" although it is a liquid rather than a gas. In fact, gasoline-dispensing facilities are referred to as "gas stations".
Most current or former Commonwealth countries use the term "petrol" and their dispensing facilities are referred to as "petrol stations". The term "petrogasoline" is also used sometimes. In some European countries and elsewhere, the term "benzin" (or a variant of that word) is used to denote gasoline.
In aviation, "mogas" (an abbreviation for "motor gasoline") is used to distinguish automotive vehicle fuel from aviation fuel known as "avgas".
Gasoline production from crude oil
Gasoline and other end-products are produced from petroleum crude oil in petroleum refineries. For a number of reasons it is very difficult to quantify the amount of gasoline produced by refining a given amount of crude oil:
- There are quite literally hundreds of different crude oil sources worldwide and each crude oil has its own unique mixture of thousands of hydrocarbons and other materials.
- There are also hundreds of crude oil refineries worldwide and each of them is designed to process a specific crude oil or a specific set of crude oils. Furthermore, each refinery has its own unique configuration of petroleum refining processes that produces its own unique set of gasoline blend components. Some crude oils have a higher proportion of hydrocarbons with very high boiling points than other crude oils and therefore require more complex refinery configurations to produce lower boiling point hydrocarbons that are usable in gasolines.
- There are a great many different gasoline specifications that have been mandated by various local, state or national governmental agencies.
- In many geographical areas, the amount of gasoline produced during the summer season (i.e., the season of the greatest demand for automotive gasoline) varies significantly from the amount produced during the winter season.
However, as an average of all the refineries operating in the United States in 2007,[5] refining a barrel of crude oil (i.e., 42 gallons or 159 litres) yielded 19.2 gallons (72.7 litres) of end-product gasoline as shown in the adjacent image. That is a volumetric yield of 45.7 percent. The average refinery yield of gasoline in other countries may be different.
From the viewpoint of performance when used in automotive spark-ignited internal combustion engines, the most important characteristic of a gasoline is its octane rating (discussed later in this article). Paraffinic hydrocarbons (alkanes) wherein all of the carbon atoms are in a straight chain have the lowest octane ratings. Hydrocarbons with more complicated configurations such as aromatics, olefins and branched paraffins have much higher octane ratings. To that end, many of the refining processes used in petroleum refineries are designed to produce hydrocarbons with those more complicated configurations.
Some of the most important refinery process streams that are blended together to obtain the end-product gasolines[6] are:
- Reformate (produced in a catalytic reformer): has a high content of aromatic hydrocarbons and a very low content of olefinic hydrocarbons (alkenes).
- Catalytically cracked gasoline (produced in a fluid catalytic cracker): has a high content of olefinic hydrocarbons and a moderate amount of aromatic hydrocarbons.
- Hydrocrackate (produced in a hydrocracker): has a moderate content of aromatic hydrocarbons.
- Alkylate (produced in an alkylation unit): has a high content of highly branched paraffinic hydrocarbons such as isooctane.
- Isomerate (produced in a catalytic isomerization unit): has a high content of the branched isomers of pentane and hexane.
Properties that determine the performance of gasoline
Octane rating
The adjacent image depicts what occurs in one of the combustion cylinders of a gasoline-fuelled, spark-ignited internal combustion engine operating in a 4-stroke cycle. Each cylinder in the engine has a movable piston that can slide upward and downward within the cylinder. Although not shown in the image, the bottom of the piston is connected to a rotating central crankshaft by a so-called connecting rod. The cycle starts with the piston at the top of the cylinder (i.e., where the piston is farthest away from the crankshaft axis) and the inlet and exhaust valves are closed. Then:
- During the intake stroke, the piston is pulled downward by the rotating crankshaft and the inlet valve opens to admit a mixture of fuel and air.
- During the compression stroke, the inlet valve closes and the piston is pushed upward by rotating crankshaft which compresses the fuel-air mixture.
- During the power stroke, the compressed fuel-air mixture is ignited by a spark from the spark plug. The resulting increase in temperature and pressure of the burning fuel forces the piston down which, in turn, forces the crankshaft to rotate.
- During the exhaust stroke, the outlet valve opens and the rotating crankshaft pushes the piston upward which forces the combustion product gases to be exhausted from the cylinder. That ends the 4-stroke cycle and the cycle then starts again.
In a typical multiple-cylinder engine, the timing of the each cylinder's cycle is such that the crankshaft is kept in continuous rotation.
If the gasoline spontaneously ignites and detonates (i.e., explodes) before it is ignited by the spark plug, it causes an abnormal phenomenon known as knocking, pinging or spark knock. The knocking is quite audible and prolonged knocking will damage an engine.
As briefly mentioned above, the most important performance characteristic of a gasoline is its octane rating, which is a measure of how resistant the gasoline is to knocking. In fact, the octane rating is sometimes referred to as the Anti-knock Index. The octane rating is based upon an arbitrary scale indexed relative to a liquid mixture of iso-octane (C8H18), which is 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, and n-heptane (C7H16). Iso-octane (see adjacent image), with a branched structure and a high resistance to knocking, has arbitrarily been assigned an octane rating of 100. N-heptane (see adjacent image), with a straight-chain structure and poor resistance to knocking has arbitrarily been assigned an octane rating of 0.
The octane rating of a specific gasoline is measured by using it in a single-cylinder test engine with a variable compression ratio and adjusting the ratio to produce a standard knock intensity as recorded by an instrument known as a knockmeter. By comparison to tabulated results from similar testing of various mixtures of iso-octane and n-heptane at the same compression ratio, the octane rating of the gasoline is determined. For example, if the gasoline test results match those of a mixture containing 90 volume % iso-octane and 10 volume % n-heptane, then the octane rating of the gasoline is taken to be 90.[7]
The octane rating is measured at two different operational conditions. The rating measured at the more severe operating conditions is called the Motor Octane Number (MON) [8] and the rating measured at the less severe conditions is called the Research Octane Number (RON) [9]. The Motor Octane Number is more representative of the performance of a gasoline when used in an automotive vehicle operated under load. For many gasoline formulations, the MON is about 8 to 10 points lower than the RON.
In the United States and Canada, the octane rating shown on the pumps in gasoline dispensing stations is the average of the gasoline's RON and the MON. That average is sometimes referred to as the Pump Octane Number (PON), the Anti-Knock Index (AKI), the Road Octane Number (RdON) and very often simply as (RON + MON)/2) or (R + M)/2. In Europe and Australia and other countries, the octane rating shown on the pumps is most often the RON.
As a broad generality, the higher is the compression ratio of a spark-ignited internal combustion engine, the higher is the performance level of the engine and the higher is the octane rating required for the gasoline fuel. The design of an engine determines its compression ratio and, therefore, the required gasoline octane. Using a gasoline with an octane rating higher than an engine requires will not improve the engine's performance, it will simply cost more.
Vapor pressure
The vapor pressure of a gasoline is a measure of its propensity to evaporate (i.e., its volatility) and high vapor pressures result in high evaporative emissions of smog-forming hydrocarbons which are undesirable from the environmental viewpoint. However, from the viewpoint of gasoline performance:
- The gasoline must be volatile enough that engines can start easily at the lowest expected temperature in the geographical area of the gasoline's expected market. For that reason, in most areas, gasoline marketed during the winter season has a higher vapor pressure than gasoline marketed in the summer season.
- Too high a volatility could cause excessive vapor leading to vapor locking in the fuel pump and fuel piping.
Thus, gasoline producers must provide gasolines that make possible the easy starting of engines and avoid vapor locking problems[10][11] while at the same time complying with the environmental regulatory limitations on hydrocarbon emissions.
Sulfur content
When gasoline is combusted, any sulfur compounds in the gasoline are converted into gaseous sulfur dioxide emissions which are undesirable from the environmental viewpoint. Some of the sulfur dioxide also combines with the water vapor formed when gasoline combusts and the result is the formation of an acidic, corrosive gas that can damage the engine and its exhaust system. Furthermore, sulfur interferes with the efficiency of the on-board catalytic converters (discussed later in this article).
Thus, sulfur compounds in gasoline are highly undesirable from either the environmental viewpoint or the engine performance viewpoint.[3][12][13] Many countries now mandate that the sulfur content of gasoline be limited to 10 ppm by weight.
Storage stability
Gasoline stored in fuel tanks and other containers will, in time, undergo oxidative degradation and form sticky resins referred to as gums. Such gums can precipitate out of the gasoline and cause fouling of the various components of internal combustion engines which reduces the performance of the engines and also makes it harder to start them. Relatively small amounts of various anti-oxidation additives are included in end-product gasoline to improve the gasoline stability during storage by inhibiting the formation of gums.
Other additives are also provided in end-product gasolines, such as corrosion inhibitors to protect gasoline storage tanks, freezing point depressants to prevent icing, and color dyes for safety or governmental regulatory requirements.[1][3][10]
As discussed later in this article, many gasolines contain ethanol which is an alcohol with the formula C2H5OH. Gasoline is insoluble in water but ethanol and water are mutually soluble. Thus, end-product gasolines containing ethanol will, at certain temperatures and water concentrations, separate into a gasoline phase and an aqueous ethanol phase.[14]
For example, the adjacent graph shows that phase separation will occur in a gasoline, at temperatures of 5 to 16 °C (40 to 60 °F), containing 10 volume percent ethanol and as little as 0.40 to 0.50 volume percent water.
For the same temperature range, the fraction of water that an ethanol-containing gasoline can contain without phase separation increases with the percentage of ethanol. Thus, gasolines containing more than 10 volume percent ethanol will be less likely to experience phase separation.
Gasoline formulations and air quality regulations
In the United States
There is no "standard" composition or set of specifications for gasoline. In the United States, because of the complex national and individual state and local programs to improve air quality, as well as local refining and marketing decisions, petroleum refiners must supply fuels that meet many different standards. State and local air quality regulations involving gasoline overlap with national regulations and that leads to adjacent or nearby areas having significantly different gasoline specifications. According to a detailed study in 2006, [12] there were at least 18 different gasoline formulations required across the United States in 2002. Since many petroleum refiners in the United States produce three grades of fuel and the specifications for fuel marketed in the summer season vary significantly from the specifications in the winter season, that number may have been greatly understated. In any event, the number of fuel formulations has probably increased quite a bit since 2002. In the United States, the various fuel formulations are often referred to as "boutique fuels".[12][15][16] In general, most of the gasoline specifications meet the requirements of the so-called Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) mandated by federal law and implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA).
Some of the major properties and gasoline components focused upon by the various national and state or local regulatory programs are:
- Vapor pressure: The vapor pressure of a gasoline is of concern because evaporative emissions of the hydrocarbons in the gasoline lead to the formation of ozone in the atmosphere which reacts with vehicular and industrial emissions of gaseous nitrogen oxides (NOx) to form what is called photochemical smog. Smog is a combination of the words smoke and fog and traditionally referred to the mixture of smoke and sulfur dioxide that resulted from the burning of coal for heating buildings in places such as London, England during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Modern photochemical smog does not come from coal burning but from vehicular and industrial emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. It appears as a brownish haze over large urban areas and is irritating to the eyes and lungs.
- Nitrogen oxides: Various nitrogen oxides (NOx) are formed during the combustion of gasoline in vehicles and the combustion of other fuels in industrial facilities. NOx is one of the ingredients involved in the atmospheric chemistry that produces photochemical smog and, as such, is a prominent air pollutant. In fact, it is one of the six so-called "criteria air pollutants" that are regulated by National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of the United States. The NOx emitted by vehicular engines using gasoline are largely controlled by the use of on-board devices, called catalytic converters, installed on most modern automobiles and other vehicles. They convert the NOx emissions into gaseous nitrogen and oxygen. They also convert any gaseous carbon monoxide emissions into gaseous carbon dioxide as well as converting any unburned gasoline hydrocarbons into gaseous carbon dioxide and water vapor.
- Toxic metals:
- Tetraethyl lead (TEL) — In the 1920's, petroleum refining technology was rather primitive and produced gasolines with an octane rating of about 40 – 60. But automotive engines were rapidly being improved and required better gasolines, which led to a search for octane rating enhancers. That search culminated in 1921[17][18][19] in the development of tetraethyl lead (TEL), a colorless, viscous liquid with the chemical formula of (CH3CH2)4Pb. Despite ethanol being widely recognized as an alternative anti-knock additive[19], the less expensive TEL quickly became commercially available as what was called TEL fluid, which contained 61.5 weight % TEL. The addition of as little as 0.8 ml of that TEL fluid per litre (equivalent to 0.5 gram of lead per litre) of gasoline resulted in significant octane rating increases. Production and sale of "leaded gas" was briefly banned in 1925 by the Surgeon General,[18][19] and a panel of experts was appointed to investigate a number of fatalities that had "occurred in the manufacture and mixing of the concentrated tetraethyl lead".[18] Then, in 1927, the Surgeon General set a voluntary standard for the petroleum refining industry to follow in mixing tetraethyl lead with gasoline. The standard was 3 cubic centimeters per gallon (cm3/gal), corresponding to the maximum then in use among refiners[18], and thus imposed no real restraint. For about the next 50 years, TEL was used as the most cost effective way to raise the octane rating of gasolines. During that period, petroleum refining technology grew until high-octane gasolines could, in fact, be produced without using TEL. Also, in about the 1940's, it was discovered that the lead being emitted in the exhaust gases from vehicular internal combustion engines was a toxic air pollutant that seriously affected human health. Because of its toxicity and the fact that catalytic converters being installed in vehicles could not tolerate the presence of lead, the U.S. EPA launched an initiative in 1972 to phase out the use of TEL in the United States and it was completely banned for use in on-road vehicles as of January 1996.[20][21] Using TEL in race cars, airplanes, marine engines and farm equipment is still permitted. TEL usage has also been phased out by most nations worldwide. As of 2008, the only nations still allowing extensive use of TEL are the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Myanamar, and Yeman.[22][23]
- Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) — In Canada, MMT has been used as an octane enhancer in gasoline since 1976. It is also permitted for use as a gasoline octane enhancer in Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, France, Russia, United States and conditionally in New Zealand. MMT is a yellow liquid with chemical formula of (CH3C5H4)Mn(CO)3. According to the U.S. EPA, ingested manganese is a required element of the diet at very low levels but it is also a neurotoxin and can cause irreversible neurological disease at high levels of inhalation.[24] The U.S. EPA has a concern that the use of MMT in gasoline could increase inhalation manganese exposures. After completing a 1994 risk evaluation on the use of MMT in gasoline, the U.S. EPA was unable to determine if there is a risk to the public health from exposure to emissions of MMT gasoline. As of now (2009), gasoline in the United States is allowed to contain MMT at a level equivalent to 0.00826 g/L (1/32 g/gallon) of manganese.[24] However, there are still many concerns about the possible adverse health effects from the usage of MMT and less than one percent of the gasoline marketed in the United States contains MMT.[25]
- Other toxic compounds: Gasoline contains some benzene (C6H6) which is an aromatic compound that is a known human carcinogen. For that reason, the amount of benzene in gasoline is limited by environmental regulations. In general, the combustion of aromatics can lead to the formation of other compounds that have deleterious effects on human health, such as aldehydes, butadiene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Therefore, the total amount of aromatics in gasoline is also limited by environmental regulations.
- Olefins: Photochemical smog is formed by various atmospheric chemistry reactions between nitrogen oxides and what are called reactive hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight. In the context of photochemical smog formation, some hydrocarbons are more reactive than others. For example, olefins are very reactive and methane is not reactive to any extent. For that reason, the olefin content of gasolines is limited by environmental regulations.
- Sulfur: Any sulfur compounds in gasoline will result in combustion exhaust emissions of sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere. Such emissions contribute to the formation of so-called acid rain and they also interfere with the on-board catalytic converters and reduce their efficiency. Therefore, the sulfur content of gasoline is limited by environmental regulations.
- Oxygen: Oxygen-containing compounds called oxygenates such methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) with a chemical formula of C5H12O or ethanol with a chemical formula of C2H5OH are added to gasolines for two reasons. The first reason is that the oxygen reduces the emissions of unburned hydrocarbons as well as the emissions of carbon monoxide. The second reason is that they significantly enhance the octane rating of gasolines which makes up for the octane rating loss resulting from the limiting of the high-octane aromatics and olefins as well as the banning of TEL usage.[2] MTBE was widely used during the 1990s as an oxygenate in the United States until it was found to be polluting underground water supplies. In the United States, it has now been largely replaced as an oxygenate by ethanol. Gasolines containing ethanol are now sold in every state in the United States and nearly half of the gasoline sold in the United States now contains up to 10 volume % ethanol either as an octane enhancer or to meet air quality requirements.[26]
As mentioned earlier above, there are a great many different sets of specifications or standards for gasolines marketed in the United States. The specifications tabulated below are those that have been mandated by law in the state of California (U.S. state). They are known as the California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG) Phase 3 Standards and are perhaps the most environmentally restrictive specifications in the United States:
Property | Measurement unit |
Flat Limit (a) | Average Limit (a) |
Reid vapor pressure (b) | psi (c) | 7.00 or 6.90 (d) | not applicable |
Sulfur concentration | ppmw (e) | 20 | 15 |
Benzene concentration | ppmv (e) | 0.8 | 0.7 |
Aromatics concentration | ppmv | 25.0 | 22.0 |
Olefins concentration | ppmv | 6.0 | 4.0 |
Temperature at 50 volume % distilled (T50) | °F (f) | 213 | 203 |
Temperature at 90 volume % distilled (T90) | °F | 305 | 295 |
Oxygen concentration | weight % (g) | 1.8 – 2.2 | not applicable |
Oxygenates other than ethanol | -- | prohibited | not applicable |
(a)"Flat" limits apply to every batch of finished gasoline. "Average" limits allow specific batches to exceed the "flat" limits as long as the gasoline produced over a 180-day period meets the "average" limits and never exceeds the specified "cap" limits. (b) Reid vapor pressure (RVP) is measured as per ASTM method D-323 and differs slightly from the true |
Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending (BOB)
Some water usually exists in today's gasoline pipeline systems and in many gasoline storage facilities. Ethanol is very soluble in water and the resulting aqueous solutions of ethanol are very corrosive. For that reason, ethanol is not blended into gasoline at the producing petroleum refineries. Instead, ethanol is blended into gasoline at terminals near the end user markets.[30][31]
In other words, to meet the current specification required of reformulated gasolines, petroleum refiners in the United States basically produce blending stocks to which ethanol is added at terminals or other points at or near the end-user markets. A blendstock to be used in producing a reformulated gasolines is known as a BOB (Blendstock for Oxygenated Blending). A BOB to be used in producing a reformulated gasoline meeting the specifications mandated by the U.S. EPA is known as an RBOB. A BOB to be used in producing reformulated gasolines meeting the California specifications is known as a CaRBOB or CARBOB.[30][31]
In Canada
As of mid-2008, gasoline quality regulation in Canada is generally under provincial jurisdiction, except for some national jurisdiction over sulfur, benzene, lead, and the ability to require certain amounts of renewable fuels such as ethanol. Few provinces regulate many aspects of gasoline quality other than Reid vapor pressure. The exception to this is the province of Manitoba, which requires gasoline to comply with the voluntary national standard CGSB 3.5, Automotive Gasoline developed by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB), a component of Canada's Department of Public Works and Government Services.[32]
The three gasoline quality limits mandated nationally are:
- Sulfur: 30 ppmw maximum
- Benzene: 1 volume % maximum
- Lead: Banned completely
The major details of the voluntary national standard CGSB 3.5, Automotive Gasoline are available in Appendix B of a report published in 2008.[32]
In Europe
The current standards developed by the European Union and the standards developed by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) are presented below. The individual countries in the European Union as well as any other European countries may have their own standards as well.
Property | Measurement unit |
European Union Norm EN 228[33] |
ACEA Worldwide Fuel Charter[34] Category 4 gasoline |
Octane Rating (a) range | -- | 90 | 87 – 93 |
Vapor pressure | kPa | 45 – 90 (b) | 45 – 60 (f) |
Sulfur concentration | mg/kg (c) | 10 | 10 |
Benzene concentration | volume % | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Aromatics concentration | volume % | 35.0 | 35.0 |
Olefins concentration | volume % | 18.0 | 10.0 |
Temperature at 10 volume % distilled (T10) | °C (d) | -- | 65 (f) |
Temperature at 50 volume % distilled (T50) | °C | -- | 77 – 100 (f) |
Temperature at 90 volume % distilled (T90) | °C | -- | 130 – 175 (f) |
% evaporated at 70 °C (E70 summer) | volume % | 20 – 48 | -- |
% evaporated at 70 °C (E70 winter) | volume % | 22 – 50 | -- |
% evaporated at 70 °C (E70 ) | volume % | -- | 20 – 45 (f) |
% evaporated at 100 °C (E100) | volume % | 46 – 71 | 50 – 65 (f) |
% evaporated at 150 °C (E150) | volume % | 75 | -- |
% evaporated at 180 °C (E180 ) | volume % | -- | 90 (f) |
Final boiling point (FBP) | °C | 210 | 195 |
Oxygen concentration | weight % | 2.7 (e) | 2.7 (g) |
(a) Values are (Research Octane Number + Motor Octane Number) / 2 ... or simply (RON + MON) / 2 (b) Range is from summer minimum (45 kPa) to winter maximum (90 kPa) |
In Australia and New Zealand
The current gasoline standards developed by the national governments of Australia and New Zealand are presented below. The individual states in Australia may have also developed gasoline standards, and the same may be true of the regional councils in New Zealand.
Property | Measurement unit |
Australia National Standard[35] |
New Zealand National Standard[36] |
Octane Rating (a) | -- | 88 | 90 |
Vapor pressure | kPa | -- (b) | 45 – 95 (c) |
Flexible Volatility Index (d) | -- | -- (b) | 115 maximum |
Sulfur concentration | mg/kg (e) | 50 | 150 (f) |
Benzene concentration | volume % | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Aromatics concentration | volume % | 42.0 | 42.0 |
Olefins concentration | volume % | 18.0 | 18.0 |
% evaporated at 70 °C (E70) | volume % | -- | 22 – 48 |
% evaporated at 100 °C (E100) | volume % | -- | 45 – 70 |
% evaporated at 150 °C (E150) | volume % | -- | 75 |
% evaporated at 180 °C (E180 ) | volume % | -- | -- |
Final boiling point (FBP) | °C | 210 | 210 |
Oxygen concentration | weight % | 3.9 | -- |
Ethanol | volume % | 10 (g) | 10 (h) |
(a) Values are (Research Octane Number + Motor Octane Number) / 2 ... or simply (RON + MON) / 2 (b) Australian standard has no vapor pressure or volatility specification and no distillation specification |
In India
The gasoline quality standards below apply only to the major cities and there are plans for lowering the maximum sulfur content from 150 ppmw to 50 ppmw in the near future. The standards for the rural areas of India are significantly less stringent.
Property | Measurement unit |
Regular Limit | Premium Limit |
Octane Rating (b) range | -- | 86 | 90 |
Vapor Lock Index (c) | -- | 750 – 950 | 750 – 950 |
Sulfur concentration | ppmw | 150 | 150 |
Benzene concentration | volume % | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Aromatics concentration | volume % | 42.0 | 42.0 |
Olefins concentration | volume % | 21.0 | 18.0 |
Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) | volume % | 15 | 15 |
Temperature at 90 volume % distilled (T90) | °C | 150 | 150 |
Temperature at 100 volume % distilled (FBP) | °C | 210 | 210 |
Oxygen concentration | weight % | 2.7 | 2.7 |
(a) Other less stringent standards are used for gasoline marketed in rural areas.
(b) Values are (Research Octane Number + Motor Octane Number) / 2 ... or simply (RON + MON) / 2 |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gasoline FAQ - Part2 of 4, Bruce Hamilton, Industrial Research Ltd. (IRL), a Crown Research Institute of New Zealand.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gary, J.H. and Handwerk, G.E. (2001). Petroleum Refining Technology and Economics, 4th Edition. Marcel Dekker, Inc.. ISBN 0-8247-0482-7.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Relation Between Gasoline Quality, Octane Number and the Environment, Rafat Assi, National Project Manager of Jordan's Second National Communications on Climate Change, presented at Jordan National Workshop on Lead Phase-out, United Nations Environment Programme, July 2008, Amman, Jordan.
- ↑ James Speight (2008). Synthetic Fuels Handbook, 1st Edition. McGraw-Hill, pages 92-93. ISBN 0-07-149023-X.
- ↑ Where Does My Gasoline Come from?, U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, April 2008.
- ↑ See the schematic process flow diagram in the Petroleum refining processes article.
- ↑ Frank Kreith and D. Yogi Goswami (Editors) (2004). CRC Handbook of Mechanical Engineering, 2nd Edition. CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-0866-6.
- ↑ As per the ASTM test method D2700
- ↑ As per the ASTM test method D2699
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 David S.J. Jones and Peter P. Pujado (Editors) (2006). Handbook of Petroleum Processing, First Edition. Springer. ISBN 1-4020-2819-9.
- ↑ John McKetta (Editor) (1992). Petroleum Processing Handbook. CRC Press. ISBN 0-8247-8681-5.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 CRS Report for Congress "Boutique Fuels" and Reformulated Gasoline: Harmonization of Fuel Standards (May 10, 2006) , Brent D. Yacobucci, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress
- ↑ Petrol and Diesel, Questions and Answers From website of New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development.
- ↑ E10 & E85 and Other Alternate Fuels Bruce Bauman, American Petroleum Institute (API)
- ↑ Boutique Fuels: State and Local Clean Fuels Programs From the website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- ↑ EPAct Section 1541 Boutique Fuels Report to Congress Report No. EPA420-R-06-901, December 2006, co-authored by the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy.
- ↑ Definition of Tetraethyl Lead
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Lead Poisoning: A Historical Perspective
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Ethyl-leaded gasoline
- ↑ Phasing Lead Out of Gasoline a report issued by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
- ↑ Prohibition on Gasoline Containing Lead or Lead Additives for Highway Use From the website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- ↑ Asia-Pacific Lead Matrix a report issued by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
- ↑ West Asia, Middle East and North Africa Lead Matrix a report issued by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Comments on the Gasoline Additive MMT Retrieved from the U.S. EPA website on April 10, 2009
- ↑ Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT): A Science and Policy Review Published by the International Council on Clean Transportation, January 2009
- ↑ E10 and other Low-Level Ethanol Blends From website of the U.S. Department of Energy.
- ↑ Final Regulation Order 2007 Amendments to California Phase 3 Reformulated Gasoline Regulation, California Code of Regulations, Title 13, Section 2260
- ↑ California Phase 3 Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG) From the website of the California Air Resources Board.
- ↑ Miscellaneous Cleanup Amendments to the California Reformulated Gasoline Regulations From the website of the California Air Resources Board.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Appendix C: Using Ethanol in Gasoline Part of a report by the Energy Information Administration entitled Analysis of Selected Transportation Fuel Issues Associated with Proposed Energy Legislation - Summary
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Methodology and Specifications Guide, 2008 A Platts publication.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Fuel Quality in Canada A 2008 report developed by The Pembina Institute for the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada
- ↑ European Norm 228 unleaded gasoline As of January 2009.
- ↑ Worldwide Fuel Charter September 2006, Category 4 gasoline, European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA)
- ↑ Petrol Fuel Quality Standard As of October 2008. From website of Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
- ↑ Requirements for Premium Grade Petrol Effective January 2006. From website of New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development.
- ↑ India Product Specifications - Gasoline Published by Asia Pacific Energy Consulting (APEC), June 2007
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Monday, May 11, 2009
UK Blog Wins Web Award
A big pat on the back to Jason Flahardy, UK's Audio Visual archivist and a winner of the ArchivesNext "Most Whimsical Archives-Related Website" award. Winners were nominated by readers of the ArchivesNext blog, then voted on by a panel of judges. Flahardy's Mustaches of the Nineteenth Century blog brings together a virtual collection of photographs showing 19th century men and their mustaches and provides a running waggish commentary to which other "mustache lovers" often respond. As Kate Theimer (creator of the ArchivesNext blog) puts it, Mustaches is "a masterful re-purposing of something almost every archives has a lot of–unidentified photographs." Take a break in your day to have a laugh at Jason's insightful comments, gather ideas for your own mustache-growing experiments, or learn the technical terms of mustachery by browsing through the glossary linked from the front page of the blog. Congratulations, Jason!
Jason Flahardy,
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Osprey Argon 85
Described by Osprey as "a favorite of weekend warriors to elite mountaineers," I tested a 2010 Argon 85 expedition pack. The 2010 model is the third generation version of this pack.
The Argon 85 (loaned by Osprey for the duration of the test) comes in three frame sizes: medium, large, and extra large, with the two larger frames having slightly bigger capacities. I tested a medium frame, which has a 5,100-cubic inch capacity. Hip belts are available in small, medium, large, and extra large.
I weighed my Argon 85 pack at 6.1 pounds (2.78 kg), matching Osprey's published weight.
The Argon 85 is the middle size in the Argon pack series. The other Argon packs are the 70 and the 110 (the numbers indicating the nominal capacity in liters of a medium frame). The Xenon 70 and 85 are the comparable women's versions.
My testing included multi-day backcountry ski and snowshoe trips, shorter "dry-weather" trips, and a number of day hikes, all with large loads. A sled with a large load was hauled during one ski tour.
As with the three Osprey packs Barbara (my wife and frequent backcountry companion) and I own, the Argon proved well made with an excellent fit and was very comfortable under load. The Argon's fit is due to its well-designed adjustability and, most important, the thermoformable hip belt, which allows you to custom heat mold the BioForm CM hip belt.
(As always, I strongly recommend working with a trained professional pack fitter for any pack, especially a complex expedition pack like the Argon. I consider a trained, experienced pack fitter essential for a pack intended for long distance and heavy hauling, particularly for month-long expeditions in remote areas.)
There are a few quibbles, even with this pack. For an expedition pack, the two side pockets are not adequate for a 1-liter water bottle with an insulating cozy or for supporting pickets or snow wands.
Additionally, the provision for an internal hydration system, well-thought out for warm weather use, is not really adequate for extended treks in sub-freezing weather.
A lesser quibble, due to a slight misjudgment on my part, is that the 85 proved too small for the intended part of my testing in Antarctica. I should have selected the Argon 110, which has a 6,700-cubic inch capacity for the medium frame.
Unique Features:
- zipper pulls usable with insulated expedition gloves
- side zip access for main and secondary compartments, in addition to top access
- removable AquaSource ReCurve hydration pouch
- removable top pocket/lumbar pack with dual compartments
- thermoformable waist belt
- compression via internal strap, Z-threaded side straps, and StraightJacket back compression
- emergency whistle built into the sternum strap
- Leave No Trace principles printed at top of the main compartment in English and French (no excuses!)
- ice tool and ski loops with elastic tie-downs
- excellent fit (particularly when using an experienced pack fitter)
- plenty of adjustments for varying size loads and conditions
- large capacity for three-season trips
- multiple attachment options
- side pockets not useful for a water bottle inside a cozy, pickets, or wands
- load lifter straps a bit tricky when pack is heavily loaded
- emergency whistle use requires sternum strap to be unbuckled for access
- thermoformable BioForm CM waist belt is fairly rigid, requiring extra space in a car or on an airline, and requiring some care when putting pack on
- custom heat molding of the BioForm CM waist belt should be done by a trained pack fitter
Best For: Hauling big loads long distances
The Pack
The Argon series is intended for large loads carried for long distances, usually in mountainous terrain. Since the pack series comes in three capacity sizes, it is important to measure the size of pack needed for your use by gathering your gear for any expeditions and trips and stuffing it into the pack at the dealer.
I had the aid of Osprey staff in selecting the proper size frame and waist belt, and a friend who is a trained and experienced pack fitter to handle the thermofitting process. Despite years of experience, I misjudged the capacity I needed. I should have sized up to the Argon 110 (6,700 cu in). This would have matched my old standby pack for such expeditions, a Dana Designs Terraplane of nearly the same capacity that I have used from Alaska to Antarctica.
I discovered the Argon 85's capacity shortfall during the tenth month of testing when I gathered together all of my gear for an upcoming Antarctica trip and attempted to fit it into the pack. The lesson here is to gather your gear together and actually try putting it into the packs you are considering.
When I received the pack, the only thing I needed to do was to take the pack and waist belt to my pack fitter friend to thermoform the waist belt. This consists of placing the belt in a specially designed oven, attaching it to the pack once warmed to the correct temperature, loading the pack with 30 to 40 pounds, adjusting the pack, then wearing the pack for a half hour while the waist belt forms to your body.
It is possible for an experienced person to do this at home with his own oven, but Osprey highly recommends going to an authorized dealer equipped with the specially designed oven.
The height of the shoulder straps can be adjusted by altering their placement on a large Velcro pad, but mine were exactly right for me without adjustment.
Figure 1. Note the thermoformed waist belt.
Backcountry Tests
Ski Tour: After a few short hikes with loads, I headed off on a backcountry ski tour of several nights, accompanying the Scout Troop of which I used to be Scoutmaster. In addition to 55 pounds in the pack, I attached a sled in which I carried an extra load.
Towing a sled is a severe test of comfort for any expedition-bound climber. When your pack is heavily loaded with gear, plus your sled is full of food, fuel, and group gear, many so-called expedition packs are very uncomfortable.
Not so with the Argon. It proved very comfortable, even when hauling gear up inclines as steep as you ever want to haul a sled up.
(I'll note that I have found that the best way to haul a sled is to attach the sled's waist belt around your pack, rather than your waist, which is encumbered with the pack's waist belt and possibly a climbing harness. Attached this way, you reduce the waist clutter and pull with the pack's more comfortable padded waist and shoulder harnesses.)
After returning the extra gear to its owners, the next day I headed farther into the backcountry, leaving the youth to their present troop leaders.
Snowshoe Tour: Subsequently, I used the pack for a shorter snowshoe tour (a lighter-weight trek of only a couple nights out, but with all the gear in the Argon, no sled assistance, and a 40-pound load more appropriate to a weekend snowshoe campout).
Hikes: I also used the pack on a number of training hikes on my usual hills with loads. On the training hikes I carried gallon water jugs (up to 60 pounds for 10 miles and 2,300 feet cumulative altitude gain), while for the climbing instructor courses I teach, I hauled gear (ropes, hardware) to the training area (approximately 65 pounds carried over two miles and 1,500 feet of elevation gain).
Figure 2. The Argon has plenty of straps, pockets, and attachment points.
As is common with most big hauler expedition packs, there is a steep learning curve to figure out the purpose of all the pockets, straps, and attachment points. Ultimately, I had to abandon my usual "techy" viewpoint that "I don't need no stinking manual" and had to read the very helpful instruction sheet. Perhaps 8 to 16 ounces could have been saved by reducing the number of straps, though the Argon is lighter than most expedition packs of its size.
Frame: Starting with the comfort features, the frame consists of a plastic frame sheet, ribbed padding inside a mesh bag (for ventilation), and aluminum ReCurve rods. The usual shoulder, waist, sternum, and loadlifter straps are there. As experienced backpackers know, you want most of the load to be on your hip bones, rather than on the shoulders.
Hip Belt: The Argon's thermoformed waist harness did an excellent job of keeping the load on my hips without slipping down, once I had followed the usual procedure of loosening the shoulder and loadlifter straps, lifting the pack onto my shoulders, fastening the waist belt and adjusting it to my hips, tightening the shoulder straps and sternum strap, then tightening the load lifter straps.
The pack did not bounce or slide down and the waist belt remained at the top of my hipbones where it should be.
One caution about the Argon's thermoformed waist belt — once formed, the belt is moderately rigid. This means that it does not fold flat for tossing in the trunk of the car with other packs or for stuffing into a duffel for airline travel. For travel, it would be necessary to remove the belt and wrap it around the pack before placing it in a duffel.
Load Lifters: I found that with a heavy load it is necessary to make sure there is sufficient length of the load lifter straps to grasp for making the adjustment once the pack is on. I loosened the straps all the way a few times, leaving too little to grasp.
Putting it on: Another caution is when picking the pack up and putting it on. When the pack is heavily loaded, most people lift the pack off the ground and set it on a slightly bent knee for a moment while slipping an arm into the shoulder strap. If a male backpacker is not careful, the thermomolded waist strap may come up between his legs in a somewhat uncomfortable way.
It only takes a couple of lifts to learn to rotate the pack slightly to clear the stiff waist belt. Then again, you could use the macho method of a straight-on lift and flip over your head (a challenge when you have 50 to 60 pounds of climbing gear in the pack).
Ventilation: The ribbed padding in its mesh bag did a good job of providing ventilation on the 80°F days that I did training hikes with up to a 50-pound load (10 miles, 2,400 feet cumulative gain), though not as well as my external frame packs. The Argon's ventilation is close to, if not the best, of any internal frame expedition pack I have used.
Figure 3. The Argon loaded with about 50 pounds for snowshoe overnight (-40°F sleeping bag, Therm-a-Rest pad, Black Diamond gloves, Outdoor Research expedition mittens, and balaclava in sleeping bag compartment; plus 8000 meter jacket, down pants, XGK, GSI cook kit, GTX parka, fleece jacket, two full water bottles, and a few other items). There is plenty of ventilation between pack and back.
Shoulder Straps: The positioning of the shoulder straps, held to the pack by a large section of Velcro, is adjustable over a very wide range of heights. The same is true of the waist belt. If you are an experienced backpacker, the initial positioning of the shoulder and waist straps will be easy and rarely changed. Your professional packfitter will help do this initial task properly for you.
Tightening of the waist belt and shoulder straps is also quite easy with the pack on.
Emergency Whistle: The sternum strap's buckle has Osprey's usual emergency whistle. Although this feature is on our other Osprey packs as well, I have yet to figure out how to use the whistle while wearing the pack with all straps fastened. It is necessary to unbuckle the sternum strap and slide the buckle all the way to the end of the strap to get it to your mouth to blow.
Plus, to keep the whistle handy, you would have to wear the pack at all times. I believe it is far better to have a dedicated whistle, such as a Fox 40, that you wear on a lanyard around your neck all the time.
Pockets: As is usual for expedition packs, the Argon has a plethora of pockets. They are, however, arranged somewhat differently from some other expedition packs.
The pockets include:
- the main compartment,
- a secondary compartment outside of the main compartment,
- two pockets in the top lid (one on top of the other),
- a sleeping bag compartment on the bottom,
- an elasticized pocket with two openings on the lower left side (as you look at the back of the pack), and
- a zippered pocket on the lower right side.
In addition, inside there is a removable AquaSource pouch for a hydration bladder (not included), and a StraightJacket consisting of flaps and straps on the outside of the pack. Finally, add two ice tool loops and a ski loop on either side with retainer elastics for each.
AquaSource Pouch: The AquaSource hydration bladder pouch can be removed from the pack and used alone by unclipping two clips at its top. The two straps used for attaching a foam pad or tent to the bottom pack outside the sleeping bag compartment can be removed from the pack and attached to the AquaSource to carry as a lightweight hydration pack, as well as holding a water supply inside the pack. When inside the pack, the hose can be fed out through either the left or right sides of the main compartment top.
During the ski and snowshoe treks in my testing, temperatures were above the 20-25°F range with no wind chill. Thus, carrying a hydration bladder inside the pack in the AquaSource pouch presented no problem with keeping the water liquid with the help of a simple neoprene hose cover.
However, based on many years of winter backcountry experience and experience in polar regions and at high altitude, having the bladder inside the pack with the hose in the open will be inadequate to prevent freezing of the water at temperatures and wind chills below that range, even with blowing a small amount of air into the hose to clear the bite valve and hose.
The AquaSource pouch is light enough that you can use the standard practice of wearing your hydration bladder in the AquaSource pouch under your parka and running the hose down your sleeve or otherwise keeping the system under your parka except when drinking. I have used this approach very successfully with a basic hydration pouch and standard bladder on many multi-day ski tours and high altitude climbs in sub-zero (°F) temperatures.
Top Lid/Lumbar Pack: The Argon's top lid can be removed for use as a lumbar pack, and has its own belt attached. I used the lid as a lumbar pack for several of my training hikes, carrying a hydration bladder in the AquaSource pouch.
This arrangement would work very well for someone bagging a peak or doing a short one- or two-hour hike out of base camp. The top lid is plenty large enough for a lunch and the usual Ten Essentials.
In general I do not like lumbar packs. However, the Argon's top lid with its wide belt proved quite stable with a minimum of the bouncing I have experienced far too often even with dedicated lumbar packs.
Figure 4. Side access to (1) main compartment, (2) shovel pocket, and (3) secondary compartment
As important as comfort is in a big hauler is accessibility to the pack's contents. Over the years I have had other toploader packs that carried well, but when sitting out a storm required unpacking almost the entire pack to get at needed items.
The Argon's two main compartments and sleeping bag compartment are quite easily accessible. The main compartment is accessed from the top via a drawstring collar as well as a side zipper that extends the full length of the main compartment, covered by the StraightJacket wing.
Inside the main compartment, there is the usual strap and buckle over the top of the load to cinch it down, with the collar extending six inches above it. The Leave No Trace Principles are printed on the inside of the pack collar in English and French.
The secondary main pocket is accessed by a zipper under the opposite side StraightJacket wing. The side zip access on the two main compartments makes it easy to get at that item at the bottom of the compartment, even when crowded into a tent with two more climbers beyond the stated tent capacity.
Outside the secondary pocket is an open-top pocket, closed with a buckle that can serve as a shovel pocket. The shovel pocket was large enough for my Black Diamond D9 shovel.
Figure 5. All zipper pulls are large enough for well-insulated gloves.
Zippers: All zippers have a glove-friendly pull on them, an absolute must for expedition packs in cold weather, and all too often missing.
Pockets: One of the Argon's two small side pockets is an enclosed zipper pocket which might serve for a spare pair of gloves and balaclava. The other is a woven stretch pocket with two entries, convenient for keeping your rain jacket handy. They are just large enough for a 1-liter Nalgene, though not with an insulated cozy on the Nalgene.
You can place the bottoms of only a couple of pickets or a half dozen snow wands in the small side pockets, though you could simply hold these by cinching the side tension straps down tightly. However, as I found during the setup for an avalanche pit demonstration in one of my courses, pulling one or two wands out loosens the hold on the bunch (unlike having a pocket to support the lower ends of wands or pickets).
Figure 6. The right-side lower pocket fits a 1 liter Nalgene without a cozy, but not with the cozy. It can be used to support wands or pickets.
Figure 7. The left-side lower pocket will take a 1-liter Nalgene without a cozy. It is less convenient for wands or pickets.
Sleeping bag compartment: The sleeping bag compartment proved to be the right size for my -40F degree sleeping bag and inflatable pad and pillow, plus a spare pair of gloves and balaclava. My closed cell foam pad rode in the straps outside the sleeping bag compartment (the same straps that are removed to act as shoulder straps for the AquaSource pouch for a day hike).
StraightJacket: While the StraightJacket wings are primarily for compression and holding the pack's contents (and hence center of gravity) close to your back, I used them on a snowshoe trek for holding a tent. The wings also have slots for additional accessory straps.
Compression Straps: Other provisions for compressing the pack and its contents close to your back are the Z-laced side compression straps and the compression strap internal to the main compartment. The placement of the main and secondary compartments means that careful consideration must be given to what items are placed in which compartment, since the secondary compartment (and shovel pocket) are farther from your back.
Ice Tools/Ski Loops: There are two ice tool loops with elastic tie-off straps and two ski carry loops. The upper part of the ski is held in place with the side compression straps. My wider tele skis rode well, though I only had to go a short distance on the dry before getting to skiable snow.
The Argon does very well for hauling big loads for long distances, with a few minor
quibbles. With the three capacity ranges, three frame sizes for each capacity range, and readily adjustable waist and shoulder strap positioning, plus thermoformed belt, the Argon should prove very comfortable for most men needing an expedition-sized pack.
I expect the women's version, the Xenon 85, which is anatomically designed for women, would also serve well for most women. Just be sure you match the capacity of the pack to what you will actually be carrying.
Price Paid: Sample loaned by Osprey for testing and review; sample pack returned
Purchased this pack online at the recommendation of a friend on the quality and comfort of Osprey packs. Put about 20 miles with 45-50 lbs in the pack. Terrain was high alpine, over snow, some tricky traverses, and some flat trail walking. Pack was very comfortable once I snugged down the straps from the belt to the aluminum exterior rods on the suspension system.
Initially I had some issues that were very much my fault as I did not get the pack custom fitted and left the straps undone. They need to be snugged down so that the rods are opened wide.
I am 6'2" and 220 lbs and purchased the large pack which I am on the cusp of the belt size with. I could use an XL belt, but that is no problem as they are very easy to swap and the large belt is plenty comfy, just a bigger gap than they recommend.
The shoulder harness is very easily adjusted and I did so after one day on the trail. The shoulder harness fit me fine. The waist belt appears stiff, but really conforms and I had no more pressure points after properly snugging down the side straps. The front buckle tightens with a brilliant little cross setup, allowing the belt to take a tapered shape to wrap on your hipbones. I did not get it custom molded, it was plenty comfy though.
Functionally, this thing is nutty!! The sleeping bag compartment is good volume, but just for a bag really, and that is all you need. The interior top load compartment is huge, and you can keep stuffing your junk in there. No problem with 4 days worth of gear and I could easily put more in there. I had a lot of clothing and food, not an ultralight guy.
There are two front pockets that really make the pack a joy to use, especially when you are constantly changing clothes for snow (rain) or footwear for stream crossings. The stretch pocket is terrific for wet gear and sandals and the internal front pocket holds a jacket, pants, fleece, gloves etc for easy trail changes. You can also access the main compartment from the front, which helped me a couple times when I needed gloves and my sock liners.
The ice ax loops and tie downs are tremendous and there are ski loops as well. All the compressions straps unclick and are useful as tiedowns for gear. I carried tent poles in the stretch side pocket and used the side zip pocket for sunscreen and other quick access stuff. The lid is pretty large and has a really tricked out compression system.
I lent it to a friend for a dayhike on the trail and he said it made a great fanny pack, I had a daypack with me. The fanny pack has the same buckle as the pack itself, so you have a spare just in case. All the buckles and zippers are high quality though, but it's nice to know you have an extra of the most critical piece.
I would not suggest keeping an inflatable pad on the lower supplied straps. I gouged mine badly when setting the pack down on rocks, keep it up high under the lid or strapped to the lid itself. A closed cell would be fine there. I did not use the internal bladder sack, but the tube ports are great and I just set my MSR bladder right on top and fed the hose through the port and clipped it to my shoulder strap.
It is pretty obvious this is a really well thought out backpack and a joy to use. I did not get mine custom fitted, but would suggest doing so to have the internal stays fitted to your back, this will help to keep the pack from sliding down as you hike.
I may have to sell mine and get an XL, but that is on me as I bought it online and measured myself and did not try on the different sizes with weight in them. I will definitely be talking to Osprey about the pack sizing and getting the stays bent to my back. I love this pack and can't wait to get out on the trail again with it.
Oh yeah, the sternum strap whistle produces the same pitch as a marmot squeak and is useful for harassing your trail partners or letting animals know you are around.
Design: Top Loading Internal Frame
Size: Large 85+ liters
Number of Pockets: 8
Max. Load Carried: 50 lbs
Height of Owner: 6'2"
Price Paid: $350
Perfect pack for long excursions — very comfortable, great capacity, and durable. Add a few of the accessories to it (rain cover, grab bag, etc.) and it has to be considered a top-of-the-line pack.
- Suspension/comfort
- Capacity
- Durability
- Price (what's new?)
- Accessories sold separately (rain cover, grab bag, etc.).
I have owned the XL in mustard for about 4 years now and this pack is seriously the best I have ever used. It has nearly everything you are looking for in an expedition pack — capacity, size, comfort, and style. The suspension is very comfortable and as long as you have your pack/gear strapped down, it's easy to forget you are carrying such a large load.
I did not opt for getting the hip belt molded because, in my opinion, it became comfortable enough without it after two short excursions. The ventilation system truly does keep the sweat off your back (within reason, of course) and the hydration pocket holds my 100-ounce Camelbak Omega reservoir without any problems.
The sleeping bag compartment is large enough to easily hold a synthetic North Face long bag and the external pocket can stow rain gear, smelly clothes, and so on without getting anything wet.
The pack isn't totally waterproof, but it is water resistant to the extent that your stuff won't get soaked if it's a light rain. I ended up buying the Osprey pack cover and that has performed admirably as well.
Perhaps the only nuisance is that it is fairly awkward trying to get a wide-mouth Nalgene bottle out of the side pocket because it doesn't have the standard water bottle pocket(s). Other than that, it is expensive, but it sure is worth it.
It's not a typo, I got this pack used at a quarterly REI sale, and am quite pleased. It was was missing the recurve (side support) bars, the bar they go into at the top, and several straps, but Osprey sent the pieces to me for $15 (would have been free had I not needed faster shipping). Amazing on their part.
On to the review. This thing is huge. Unless I am go on a 2 week trip by myself, I will never need a larger pack.
I was a bit wary of its weight, but it more than makes up for it with the comfort it provides; much more than my previous pack. There are plenty of pockets, loops, and straps to accommodate most any needs, which are all designed quite well. I found everything to be quite intuitive.
If you are using the pack for a shorter trip, there are flaps on the front that can tighten essentially the whole bag. This increases its usefulness tremendously, because other wise it would be a floppy mess when underpacked.
One of my favorite features is the ability to convert its pieces into a great day pack system. The bottom straps can be removed and combined with the water sleeve to wear by itself as a mini backpack. Then you wear the removable top cover around your waist as a pretty comfortable hip pack; it even has the meshing for breatheability for your back.
If you're so inclined you can also use the actual hip belt, rather than the strap inside the cover, but I think it's only worth it if you are covering a lot of ground.
I have admittedly only used this on one extended trip to Glacier NP, but it stood up quite well to the beating it took from me and the weather. I am very excited to go on another trip to use this pack, and if you are looking for a 3-10 day bag that has everything and more, this is it!
Price Paid: $30
I've had my Argon 85 for almost three years now. I've made multiple 2-3 week trips with it and its performance is just unbelievable. Comparing to my old packs the Argon is more comfortable, more reliable and much more functional than any of my previous packs.
I used loads between 24-30 kilograms (52-66 pounds) and my usual pace was around 20 kilometres per day (12 miles). The terrain ranges from gently rolling hills to arctic tundra and the occasional steep hill. At first I was a little surprised by the flexing of the support structure, but I started to like it very early on.
I had the pack custom molded at the store. If nothing more, the molding makes it easier to carry the pack with the waist strap open since the straps will otherwise point to the sides. The pack needs very little adjusting after the initial adjustment. During the walk it's very easy to adjust the straps and take the weight off your waist or shoulders.
The compartments are spacious and I like to pack everything inside. The curved shape makes it difficult to pack very long and bulky items, but I did manage to fit a five gallon bucket into the top compartment once (don't ask me why...)
I love the fact how you can buy add-ons to the Osprey packs. One thing I missed about the Argon was a pocket or pouch for small items in the waist belt. That was easily fixed with one of the add-ons.
Overall the Argon 85 is probably one of the best if not the best large backpack out there at the moment, but any potential buyers would obviously try it on before buying.
Price Paid: € 279
You will never need another pack in your life. I packed at least 60 lbs in this thing and it feels 10. My pack is the extra large size weighing in at almost 7 lbs and it didn't phase me one bit. If you want to stay out of the concrete jungle for awhile this is your pack. Take whatever you want, leave no trace.
Design: Argon 85 XL
Size: 91L
Number of Pockets: Alot
Max. Load Carried: 60+
Height of Owner: 6'4
Price Paid: $320
This review is just to tell everybody to TRY ON YOUR PACK in the store with weight in it before you buy.
I was all set to get the Osprey. It has great features, good reviews, nice aqua compatibility, etc. etc. The salesman at REI said it is a very good pack but it just happens the pack doesn't fit his particular body style. I thought "whatever."
Well, we sized it, adjusted it, loaded it up with about 30 pounds, and yikes!, the hip belt just doesn't work. Maybe my hips and glutes are cut just the wrong way. I then loaded up a Gregory and it was 100% better.
So - the Osprey is probably an excellent pack for many folks, but TRY IT FIRST. 4 stars so i don't drive down the average, because it is a very nice pack to be sure.
Your Review
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medium | large | xl | ||
Price |
MSRP: $379.00 Historic Range: $189.48-$399.00 Reviewers Paid: $30.00-$350.00 |
Weight | 6 lb 1 oz / 2.78 kg | 6 lb 7 oz / 2.92 kg | 6 lb 11 oz / 3.02 kg | |
Capacity | 5100 cu in / 85 L | 5300 cu in / 88 L | 5500 cu in / 91 L |


text:
The rule of law, access
to effective remedies and protection of human rights in Swaziland continued to
deteriorate in the past year as a consequence of the further undermining of
judicial independence, Amnesty International said in its annual report.
'Activists were also
detained and charged in several separate trials involving charges under the
Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA) and the Sedition and Subversive Activities
Act,' Amnesty stated.
The report published
on Tuesday (24 February 2015) said the kingdom, ruled by King Mswati III,
sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarch, revived a 2009 sedition charge
against Thulani Maseko. His trial on this charge was scheduled to be heard in
2015. A challenge to the constitutionality of the Sedition and Subversive
Activities Act, as well as the STA, was also pending in 2015.
Amnesty reported, 'The challenge was
brought by veteran activist and leader of the opposition People's United
Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Mario Masuku, and eight others facing charges
under both laws in three separate trials. The application was due to be heard
in the High Court in March 2015.'
The trial of Mario Masuku
and youth leader Maxwell Dlamini was due to begin in February 2015. They were
charged with sedition and remanded in custody in connection with slogans they
allegedly shouted at a 2014 May Day rally.
Amnesty reported, 'There
was considerable concern at Mario Masuku's deteriorating health after he was
remanded into custody. At the end of October there was a renewed attempt to
secure his and Maxwell Dlamini's release on bail. On 31 October the High Court
judge scheduled to hear the application was withdrawn. The application was
heard and rejected in November by Judge Mpendulo Simelane.'
Seven members of PUDEMO,
which is banned under the STA, were also facing trial at the end of the year on
charges under the STA following their arrest at the High Court during the trial
of Thulani Maseko and Bheki Makhubu in April, who were later jailed for contempt of court
for writing and publishing articles in the Nation
magazine critical of the Swazi judiciary.
See also


text:
Carina Organics products and facilities are free of peanuts and tree nuts. Their products are made by hand in British Columbia. Their products are also free of synthetics, parabens, dyes, soy, and gluten as well as being vegan, cruelty free and 100% biodegradable.
Ingredients: Filtered Aqua, Acacia senegal (gum) extract, Pinus banksiana (pine) extract, Matricaria chamomilla (chamomile) flower extract, Urtica dioca (nettle) leaf extract, Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) leaf extract, Trifolium pratense (clover) flower extract, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed oil
Please note: The Carina Organics facility is peanut free and tree nut free with one exception. They carry another product line that contains shea and argan. We have been assured that the other product line is not produced or filled in the facility and is delivered pre-packaged. They state that no cross contamination occurs. Customers can open these products in the store front if they choose.


text:
Doing a beauty video for Elle and Clarins had me thinking a lot about French beauty. In particular, how effortless and tasteful they are when it comes to skincare and how you makeup your face for the world to see. Every time I am in Paris I feel so inspired about the celebrated form of beauty French women have. To me, they are the most beautiful women in the world which I like to think goes beyond lucky genetics and has something to do with yummy french beauty products.
Kelly and I wanted to do a shoot for her sister Erin Framel on her birthday to mark this time in her life and celebrate all our collaborations. Many people go into behind the scenes to make a photo-shoot happen and Erin has produced, styled, and even modeled in many of our editorials and commercial shoots as a way to say thanks. With French beauty and one of my favorite fashion photography books, Woman in the Mirror, as inspiration we capture Erin in this timeless moment.
We let Elle & Clarins on set to see how we work and play together and here are the final images from this day of beauty….
Cover images~ Pamella Roland Gown || As29 Earrings
Above~ Reem Acra Cherry Blossom Gown
Below~ Lie Sang Bong Gown || Lucifer Vir Honestus Earrings
Above~ ISSA Silk Jersey Draped Gown || Lucifer Vir Honestus Earrings
Below~ Reem Acra Cherry Blossom Gown
Above~ ISSA Silk Jersey Draped Gown || Lucifer Vir Honestus Earrings
Below~ Lie Sang Bong Gown || Lucifer Vir Honestus Earrings
More Fashion & Beauty here…